Joshua Harmon's Prayer for the French Republic completes its twice-extended Broadway debut at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre March 3. Previews began December 19, 2023, and opening night was January 9 (read the reviews here). David Cromer directed the Manhattan Theatre Club production.
The cast features Betsy Aidem as Marcelle Salomon Benhamou, Nael Nacer as Charles Benhamou, Francis Benhamou as Elodie Benhamou, Aria Shahghasemi as Daniel Benhamou, Anthony Edwards as Patrick Salomon, Molly Ranson as Molly, Richard Masur as Pierre Salomon, Nancy Robinette as Irma Salomon, Daniel Oreskes as Adolphe Salomon, Ari Brand as Lucien Salomon, and Ethan Haberfield as Young Pierre Salomon. Aidem, Benhamou, Brand, Ranson, and Robinette all reprised their performances from the work's 2022 Off-Broadway world premiere, also staged by Manhattan Theatre Club.
Rounding out the company are understudies Joshua Chessin-Yudin, Lauriel Friedman, Zachary Lindberg, Dale Place, Stephen Schnetzer, and Lori Wilner.
The play begins in 1944 with a Jewish couple awaiting news of their missing family, and follows five generations of a French Jewish family in its examination of history, home, and the effects of an ancient hatred. The Off-Broadway run won the 2022 Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Off-Broadway Play.
Cromer reassembled his Off-Broadway creative team, including scenic designer Takeshi Kata, costume designer Sarah Laux, lighting designer Amith Chandrashaker, composer and sound designer Daniel Kluger (taking the reigns solo after co-sound designing the Off-Broadway run with Lee Kinney), and hair and makeup designer J. Jared Janas. Gigi Buffington is vocal coach, and casting is by Caparelliotis Casting's Kelly Gillespie. Richard A. Hodge is production stage manager.
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